


Staging a Coup

by xtremeroswellian



Series: Metamorphose [1]
Category: Jericho
Genre: BAMF Heather Lisinski, Betrayal, Bomb, Brief descriptons of torture, Double Crossing, F/M, Goetz deserved it, Jericho Rangers, New Bern, Ravenwood, Sedition, tyranny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:33:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24280621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian
Summary: When Beck arrests Jake for the murder of Goetz, Heather takes drastic action.
Relationships: Jake Green & Heather Lisinski
Series: Metamorphose [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1752766
Kudos: 2





	Staging a Coup

**Author's Note:**

> Basically a rewrite of "Sedition."

Jake came out onto Main Street, arms in the air, casting a wary glance at Beck's men. 

Heather was on her way to the station to talk to Beck when she caught sight of Jake, at gunpoint by not one, but three soldiers. She froze in place, a startled look on her face. 

"Well, this is a good start," Beck said, gazing at him intently as he moved to stand in front of the younger man. 

"It's my fault," he said as Beck approached him. "Mine and no one else's. "I'm the sheriff--" 

"You _were_ the sheriff," he said coldly. 

"I'm the only one to blame. The only one," he took a breath. "So my terms are simple. My surrender for the amnesty of the others." 

Heather's breath caught in her throat at the quiet, martyring words. Her stomach tightened with fear. 

"I accept your surrender." He glanced past Jake to the men behind him. "But _not_ your terms." 

Jake's eyes went wide as the officers behind him advanced and placed the plastic tie cuffs on him. He began to struggle against their hold. "No!" 

"Take him," Beck ordered, mask of cool neutrality on his face. 

Heather pressed a hand to her mouth as she watched one of the men yank a hood over Jake's head. Oh, God. No. 

Beck followed his men toward the truck, watching as they loaded him none-too-gently into the back. 

Her heart pounded heavily in her chest as she watched Jake struggle uselessly. Everything hit her at once: the fear, the confusion, the anger. She had to do something. She started to take a step forward, then froze. 

_Be smart, Lisinski,_ she told herself, reluctantly standing still. 

"You son of a bitch!" Jake yelled, struggling blindly in the back of the truck. 

Wordlessly, Beck climbed into the passenger seat, keeping his eyes in front of him as his men drove him out of town. He never saw Heather at all. 

* * * 

Not an hour later, she found herself standing on the doorstep of a man she'd personally hoped to never see again. It wasn't that she hated Robert Hawkins, he just left her feeling very unsettled. 

But Jake trusted him. 

She raised her hand and knocked loudly. 

It took a few minutes before Hawkins answered the door, gun held close. When he realized who it was, he lowered his gun. "What brings you here, Heather?" 

She lifted her chin a little, gazing at him intently, the same way he'd done her when he'd needed _her_ help. "I need to find the rest of the Rangers. Jake's in trouble." 

"So he went through with it," he murmured. 

Her eyes narrowed. "You knew he was going to turn himself over to Beck?" 

He nodded. "It was that, or turn Stanley in." 

"Wait...turn Stanley in for what?" Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 

He looked around, then stepped aside to let her into the house. 

Feeling wary, she stepped inside and turned to face him once more. 

"Stanley killed Goetz." 

Heather stared at him, blank expression on her face. "Why would _Stanley_ kill Goetz?" 

"Because...he murdered Bonnie," he said quietly. 

The breath caught in her throat, her face rapidly draining of color. "What?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. 

He nodded a little. "He wanted Mimi's files on money going missing, but she wouldn't give them up..." 

"And he killed Bonnie," she murmured. 

"Yeah." 

Heather squeezed her eyes shut, her heart aching with the news. Poor Stanley. 

"So now all the Rangers are hiding out." 

"Where?" 

"I'll take you to them." 

* * * 

Heather looked at Hawkins sideways as he drove her out of Jericho to a small building that was so out of the way, so out of sight, she hadn't ever known of existence in the four years she'd lived in Jericho. "What is this place?" 

"Some place Jake knew about," he answered, getting out of the car. 

She climbed out of the passenger seat and followed him toward the building, a little stunned when he opened the door to reveal a large, steel-enforced garage. Everyone in the room fell silent as she stepped inside. 

Emily stepped forward. "Hi Heather." 

Heather met her eyes for a brief moment, then shifted her gaze to Eric. "Beck took Jake. He put a hood on him and took him away." 

She put a hand over her mouth. "Oh God." 

"Do you know where he took him?" 

"No," Heather answered. 

"This is crazy," Bill murmured, running a hand over his face. "Maybe Stanley was right. Maybe--" 

"We are _not_ going to turn Stanley in," Emily said sternly, glaring. 

"No, no, we're not," Eric interrupted. "But we're not giving up on Jake, either. What we need is leverage against Beck." 

Heather grew still, her eyes clear and blue. "What you need is someone on the inside." 

"Are you volunteering?" Eric asked, folding his arms. 

There was no hesitation before she answered. "Yes." 

"Good," he said. "We need you to talk to Beck." 

She nodded just slightly, her jaw tense. 

"And if you can...find out where they took Jake." 

Heather was almost certain she could do both of those things. 

Beck trusted her. 

That would be his downfall. 

* * * 

Beck pulled up a chair in front of Jake as one of his men removed the hood from younger man's head. He folded his arms on the back of the chair, his eyes dark and narrowed. 

Jake blinked at the sudden appearance of light. Shaking his head to clear his vision, he glared at the blurred shape in front of him. "You have me. What more do you want?" 

"The truth," he said calmly. 

"I pulled the trigger." 

"You're lying." 

"No, I'm not." 

Beck took a breath. "I know there was a shoot-out between the Rangers and Ravenwood. I know several of the Ravenwood men were killed in self-defense. I know Goetz was placed under arrest and that Stanley Richmond put a bullet in his brain." 

Jake shook his head. "Where are you getting all of this?" 

"From a very reliable source," he responded. 

Jake glared at him. "Who?” 

"Doesn't matter. All that matters is that it's the truth," he responded. 

"I'm not going to give them up." 

"Then these four walls are going to be your world. You won't sleep unless I allow it, won't eat until I feed you. Every man can break, Jake." He glanced at his man up by the door. "Bring him in." 

A moment later the guard hauled a beaten, worn-out looking Russell into the room. "Your good friend Russell did." 

"I'll never give them up," he growled. 

"We'll see." Beck rose to his feet. "I'll check back with you in a day." He nodded at his guards, who unseated Jake and headed for the stairs. 

He fell hard to the floor, his head smacking the cement. Groaning, he adjusted himself on the ground, face in the dirt. 

"Do it." Beck's order was quiet and the guard turned on the bright overhead light as they left. 

***  
Beck stared out his office window to the streets of Jericho, frustration evident on his features. He had expected that Jake wouldn't talk, but he hoped after a day without sleep, he'd be more willing to talk. 

A soft knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. 

"Come in," he said, not turning around. 

Heather stepped into his office, forcing herself to take a deep breath and let it out slowly as she closed the door. 

At the soft footsteps, he turned around. "I'm surprised you're here." 

"I need to talk to you." Her voice was quiet, urgent. 

"Okay," he motioned to the chair opposite his desk before lowering himself into his own chair. 

"Something happened when you went to New Bern. Two of the town's people came here, looking for me." She swallowed hard. "Constantino's placed a bounty on my head for helping you." 

"I'll place more security along the border," he assured her. 

Heather bit her lip, looking at the floor. 

"What else is wrong?" 

"People are angry," she said quietly. 

"I'm aware of that." 

"I know." She drew in a breath and looked up at him once more, meeting his gaze straight-on. "So what happens next? Where do we go from here?" 

He sighed. "Heather, do you know where the Rangers are?" 

"If I did, I'd tell you," she said without hesitation, her gaze unwavering. 

"Right," he rubbed his forehead. "Of course you would." 

The tone of his voice left no doubt in her mind that he'd bought her lie hook, line and sinker. She wasn't sure whether to be really glad about that, or really ashamed. 

"I might need you to do something for me," he looked up at her, gaze intent. 

Heather gazed back at him. "What is it?" 

"I can't tell you the details now, but I want to know that I can trust you to do what I ask, when I ask." 

"As long as you're not asking me to do anything illegal," she said quietly. 

"Never." 

"Then you can trust me," Heather told him, still holding his gaze. 

"Thank you," there was a trace of relief in his tone. 

She nodded slightly and rose to her feet. "What can I do in the meantime?" 

"Keep on the lookout for any of the Rangers." 

Heather nodded again. "Okay. And I'll do what I can to try and calm the citizens." 

"I appreciate it." 

She offered him a small smile. "It's the least I can do." 

He nodded slightly returning her smile. "Was there anything else you needed to discuss?" 

"No. That was it," she said quietly. 

He stood once more. "Then if you'll excuse me, I have some things to attend to." 

"Of course." She moved toward the door, swallowing hard as she pulled it open. 

"Goodbye Heather." 

"Goodbye, Major Beck," she responded, leaving his office with a tightness in her chest. 

After she left, he turned back to the window. He had a feeling she wasn't telling him the whole truth, even though he wanted to believe her. 

* * * 

"We need a way to get Beck's attention," Eric said, pacing in front of the table where the map of Jericho lay. 

"I thought we were gonna let Heather do this," Jimmy said, looking a little worried. 

He shook his head. "That's taking too long." 

"What are you thinking?" Bill questioned, studying him. 

"There's a convoy they're expecting soon." 

"So?" He shook his head a little. 

"We could take it." 

"You think Beck will trade Jake from the convoy?" Emily spoke up, gazing at him intently. 

Eric turned his attention to her. "It's worth a shot." 

"Then let's do it," she said. 

"Round everyone up. We leave in ten." 

* * * 

"What's going on?" Heather asked, shaking her head as she walked into the nearly empty garage. 

"We're going to take Beck's convoy," Eric answered, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. 

She stared at him with wide eyes. "You're _what?_ " 

"We're getting his attention." 

"This isn't the way to go about that," she said in alarm, shaking her head. 

"You're taking too long. We need to get Jake back _now_." 

Heather drew back as if he'd smacked her. "I'm doing it without getting anyone else killed, Eric." 

"This won't get anyone killed," he began walking toward the exit. 

"You hope." 

"It won't." 

She shut her eyes. "This is only going make Beck angrier!" 

He whipped around. "You don't know that!" 

Heather shook her head, opening her eyes to look at him once more. "No?" She walked toward him, eyes dark. "I've spent most of my time since I got back here with Beck. I know him pretty well!" 

"Plan's already in motion, Heather. And you can't stop it." 

She stared at him, then shook her head a little. "You're gonna make it much worse," she said quietly before she moved past him and out toward her truck. 

Eric watched her go, shaking his head angrily. This would work. It had to. 

* * * 

Beck looked up as one of his men walked into the room with a piece of paper in his hand. "What's this?" 

"We found out why the convoy is late," the man answered, handing him an envelope. "This was found on one of the trucks." 

He eyed him for a moment, then opened the envelope, taking out the letter. His jaw tightened as he read the words. 

"We have your gas, guns, and ammo. Will trade for Sheriff Green." 

The soldier spoke again, hesitantly. "Sir? How should we proceed?" 

"With Green," he responded, rising to his feet. 

"I don't understand--" 

"We're going to go talk to Jake." 

He nodded. "Right." 

Beck's eyes narrowed as he led the way out the door, crumpling the paper in his hand. 

***

The light was blinding. Blinking several times, Jake backed himself against the wall, groaning. Not only was the light too bright, but it was too hot. Sweat poured off of him and his mouth felt like a desert. He turned his head away from the light, trying to burrow it into his shoulder to block out the light so he could sleep. 

"Get him up." Beck's voice was commanding, powerful over the sound of silence that had prevailed for so many endless hours. 

He jerked, straightening as much as he could and turning to the noise. 

Two of the men yanked him to his feet and dragged his body across the room to the chair. 

"I want you to sign something." Beck gazed intently at Jake. 

Jake gazed at him. "What?" 

"Your Rangers stole a convoy of trucks filled with weapons and supplies in an attempt to get you back. I want you to sign this paper saying you reject their methods." 

He looked down at the clip board in front of him. Working up as much moisture in his mouth as he could, he spit on the paper. 

Beck's jaw tightened and he looked up at his guards. "Rescind the amnesty for the Rangers on the trading of Stanley Richmond. I want them all. They're fugitives now." 

"Leave them alone," he growled. 

"You just sealed their fate yourself, along with that of everyone in Jericho," he responded, his voice as dark as his eyes as he looked at Jake. "As of 8 p.m. tonight, there will be no power, no food rations, no water. Nothing until I have each of them in my custody." 

"The town won't give them up," his head dropped. 

"Then they'll suffer the consequences." 

"They'll take you down." 

"A whole army? Don't bet on it." He turned and headed for the staircase. 

"You're on your own Beck. And I won't break." 

"We'll see about that." 

Jake let out laugh. "You'll never win." 

He paused at that and turned to look at Jake. "There are no winners in war, Jake. Only losers." His voice was quiet and he headed out the door. 

He looked up at the guards still in the room. "You picked the wrong side to be on." 

Neither of them responded as they followed Beck outside, leaving him alone in the room once more. 

* * * 

"Major Beck." Heather was breathless as she headed into his office, her heart beating quickly in her chest. For the first time, she didn't bother knocking. 

Beck looked up quickly. "What is it?" 

She hesitated a moment, swallowing hard. "I found one of them." 

He stood. "Which one?" 

She shut her eyes. "Emily Sullivan." 

"Where?" 

Heather drew in a breath, her stomach knotting. "The back of Gracie Leigh's market." 

He walked out of his office and over to one of his men. Talking with him quickly, he watched several other men quickly leave the station. 

"Major Beck." Her voice was urgent, quiet and she laid a hand on his arm, looking up at him with worried eyes. 

He looked down. "What?" 

"She won't be harmed. Right?" 

"Not right now, no." 

She swallowed hard. 

He took a breath. "Remember that favor I asked for three days ago?" 

"Yes." Heather's eyebrows furrowed. 

"I need to cash in on it." 

"What do you want me to do?" she asked, sounding uncertain. 

"Talk to Jake for me." 

She felt her stomach tighten at his words. "Convince him to turn Stanley in." It wasn't a question. 

He nodded a little. 

She kept her gaze on his face, then nodded slightly. "Okay." 

"And I'm sorry for this but...we'll have to blindfold you to take you there." 

"I understand," she said quietly. 

"Follow me," he said, walking past her. 

Heather drew in a breath and let it out slowly, pushing away her fear and uncertainty. Now it was time to act. 

***

Three days. No water, no sleep. Three days with guards in and out, "accidentally" kicking him on their way out to report to Beck. "Accidentally" dropping him to the floor. 

Now, he was curled up against the wall, still trying in vain to shield himself from the light. 

The door at the top of the stairs opened and soft footsteps headed down them, approaching him slowly. 

He tensed at the sound of the steps, not daring to turn around. 

The sight of him lying on the floor, curled up, broken, and weak was nearly her undoing. She had to bite down very hard on her lower lip to keep from breaking down. "Jake," she whispered. 

He closed his eyes for a moment at the voice, not believing it was there. The lack of sleep was making him hallucinate. 

Heather knelt down beside him, gently touching his cheek and blinking back tears. "Jake, it's me. Can you hear me?" 

Flinching at the touch, he almost drew away. "Heather." 

"Yeah, it's me," she whispered, her heart aching as he slowly struggled to sit up. Gently placing her hands on his shoulders, she helped him, then cupped his face in her hands. 

"Shouldn't be here," he whispered, hunching over. 

"Shh," she whispered, moving closer so she could look into his eyes. She could tell by the heat radiating from his skin that he was burning up with fever, dehydrated, bordering on delirious. "It's gonna be okay." She looked over her shoulder where Beck stood and took the glass of water he offered. "Here, take a drink." She carefully tipped the cup to his lips. 

He greedily drank the water, almost choking as he tried to swallow. 

"Easy," Heather murmured, sliding her fingers through his hair as he drank. 

Pulling away from the cup, he turned his glassy gaze to her. "Thank you." 

She tried to smile but couldn't quite manage it. She reluctantly handed the cup back to Beck and watched as he stepped away before she turned her attention back to Jake. "You need talk to Major Beck, Jake. Tell him what you know," she said quietly, but loudly enough for Beck to hear her. 

He shook his head. "Won't." 

"Tell him what you know, and it'll all be okay." She leaned in closer, pressing her lips to his ear. "Don't tell him anything." 

"Can't say anything," he repeated, but nodding to show her he'd heard. 

"You have to, Jake. You can't go on like this." Her voice was strained and she blinked back a flood of tears. 

"I'd rather die," he turned away from her. 

Heather shut her eyes, swallowing hard. She bowed her head for a moment, then slowly rose to her feet. 

Jake didn't react to her leaving, merely turned back toward the wall, knowing that the bright light was soon to assault his eyes once more. 

She shook her head slowly when she looked at Beck, then slowly headed up the stairs, swallowing hard to contain the sense of growing anger she felt toward the older man. 

"I know you tried," he muttered, coming around to her back and placing the blindfold over her eyes again. 

Heather gritted her teeth and gave a short nod as the world grew dark once more. 

***

"They have to have him stowed somewhere on the outskirts of town," Eric gazed down at the map, tracing a finger over the border of the town. 

Heather didn't bother knocking on the door this time, she simply stormed inside, eyes dark with anger, startling everyone in the garage. 

"Where'd you go?" He asked, meeting her half way across the floor. 

"I know where Jake is. At least, a rough idea." She moved past him and over to the map. 

Eric gazed at the map as she began to explain where they were holding his brother. 

"And there was a horrible smell." 

"Hog Farm," Bill said, appearing at the table. 

"Then we know where he is," Jimmy spoke up. 

Eric nodded, then glanced at Heather again. "You delivered the intel to Beck, right?" 

Heather swallowed hard, her jaw tense. "Yeah. I turned Emily into Beck." Her voice was flat. 

"Okay," he sighed, running a hand down his face. "How is he?" 

She looked away. "This has to happen tonight," she responded, turning to head for the door. 

"Can you get back to him?" 

"I think so." Her voice was quiet as she paused. 

"Stay with him as long as you can. We'll be there as soon as possible." 

Heather nodded and headed out to her truck. 

* * * 

Emily jerked against the hold the soldiers had on her as they led her into the station. "Get your hands off me!" 

"You have the right to remain silent. You should use it," one of them said sharply, tightening his hold on her a little. 

"You son of a bitch," she spat. 

Heather was in the doorway of Beck's office when she heard the commotion in the hall. Swallowing hard at the sound of Emily's voice, she slowly turned around to watch as the guards dragged her into the room. 

When Emily caught sight of her, she narrowed her eyes. "You traitorous bitch." 

She felt Major Beck grow still at his desk and knew she had to be very careful. "Emily--" 

"Don't even try to make excuses," she said darkly. "Everyone trusted you. _Jake_ trusted you." 

Heather flinched and looked down at the floor. "I'm doing this _for_ Jake." 

"No. You're doing this because you're selfish. All you think about is yourself." 

She shook her head and looked up at Emily once more. "I have nothing to gain from this, Emily. This town's going to be in ruins until Stanley turns himself in!" 

"I can't believe you," she shook her head. "I can't believe any of us trusted you." 

"You'll understand someday," Heather said quietly as she started to move past her. 

Jerking one hand free from the soldier, Emily lashed out at Heather, slapping her across the face. 

She drew back, pressing her hand to her cheek, staring at Emily with wide eyes, her face pale. 

"Rot in hell," she said, voice low. 

Heather watched as the guards dragged her down the corridor toward the cells in back. 

Beck stepped up beside her. "Are you alright?" 

Hot tears stung her eyes and she nodded wordlessly. 

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "But you did the right thing." 

"I know." Her voice was just as quiet. "That doesn't make it any easier." 

"Come sit in my office for as long as you like. I need make sure she's taken care of properly." 

She looked up at him, brushing a tear off her red cheek. "Don't hurt her," she whispered. 

"We won't," he promised her. 

Nodding slowly, Heather turned and headed into his office, taking a seat. And praying for forgiveness for what was to come. 

***

Almost an hour after she had sat down in Beck's office, there was a knock at the door. 

Heather lifted her head slowly to see Major Beck standing there, concern on his face. It would have been sweet if it wasn't so damn hypocritical. 

He took a slow breath. "I need you to go talk to Jake again." 

The plan she'd devised had already had its desired effect. "You want me to tell Jake that you have Emily in custody." 

He nodded. "We hope that this will get him to talk." 

Heather drew in a breath and let it out slowly, shutting her eyes. "All right." 

"One of my men will take you to him now." 

She rose to her feet, nerves tight with tension. 

Beck waited for her to exit his office before escorting her down to the vehicle that would take her to Jake once more. "They'll blindfold you in there." 

She turned her head to look at him for a moment, her eyes filled with a stormy sea of emotions that she would not, dare not express. Not when she was so close to the goal. "Wish me luck." 

"Good luck," he said, patting her back lightly and opening the door. 

Heather held his gaze only a moment longer before climbing into the back of the car, holding still as the guard blindfolded her. 

As the truck pulled away from the station and headed down the road, the soldier in front turned around. "How'd it go, Heather?" 

She pulled the blindfold off and discarded into the seat beside her, meeting Jimmy's eyes in the rearview mirror. "As planned." 

"Good. So he doesn't suspect anything?" 

"No." Heather turned her head to look out the window, rubbing her cheek absently. 

He looked at her cheek with concern. "How hard did she hit you?" 

"Just hard enough to make it look real," she said softly. 

He winced. "Ouch." 

"I'll live." 

"We're almost there," Bill called. 

She drew in a breath and let it out slowly, reluctantly picking up the blindfold once more and fiddling with it for a moment before pulling it over her eyes. 

Pulling to a stop, Bill got out of the truck and helped Heather out of the back, taking her up to the guards. "She's back to talk to Green under Beck's orders." 

"Proceed," he responded with a nod, removing Heather's blindfold. "Ms. Lisinski." 

A flash of guilt washed over her as she considered what would likely happen to the guard. Swallowing hard, she nodded back at him and headed into the small building and down the steps. 

The bright light dimmed as she walked into the room. Jake hadn't moved from the position he'd been in from the first time Heather had come. 

"Jake," she whispered, moving over toward him with a quickened-pace and kneeling by his side. She pulled the pocket knife from her jeans, opened the blade and moved to cut off the plastic-cuffs binding his hands behind his back. 

Once the binding was released, Jake groaned as the tension held in his arms the past couple of days was released, sending pain rocketing through his shoulders. 

"Sorry, I'm sorry," Heather murmured, sliding the knife back into her pocket and gently massaging his shoulders to ease some of the pain. 

He let out a halted breath, trying to relax at her touch. "Heather...." 

"It's gonna be okay. You're almost out of here." 

He raised his head. "How?" 

"Long story. Eric's on his way, and Bill and Jimmy are outside. Just rest." She stroked his hair. 

He nodded, eyes sliding shut, head falling back onto her lap. 

Heather drew in a breath and let it out slowly, leaning back against the wall. She bit her lower lip as she gazed down at him, her heart aching. "I'm sorry, Jake," she murmured. 

He licked his dry lips. "You didn't do anything." 

That was part of the problem, but she didn't say so. She rubbed his back gently, closing her eyes. 

"Hurts," he whispered. 

"Help's coming," she whispered. 

"It's already here," he pried his tired eyes open to look at her. 

Heather smiled very faintly. "I'm just a stand-in till the superheroes show up." 

"Those are the sidekicks," he said quietly, closing his eyes once more. 

A familiar feeling washed over her, one she thought she'd tucked away months ago. One she didn't want to acknowledge. Not then, maybe not ever. "Rest." 

He didn't respond that time, his mind finally shut down from exhaustion. 

Moments passed that felt like hours, and then she flinched at the sound of gunshots outside. She instinctively cradled Jake a little closer to her, ducking her head as the door at the top of the stairs burst open. 

Eric and Bill rushed down the stairs and over to the two of them, picking Jake up carefully slowly making their way back out. 

Heather followed behind them, her heart pounding in her chest. She shut her eyes tightly as she caught sight of the dead guard by the door. Pressing a hand to her stomach, she slid into front passenger side of the commandeered military vehicle. 

"Heather," the voice was quiet, coming from the backseat. 

She turned around quickly, startled by the familiar, but unexpected voice. "Mrs. Green?" 

She smiled sadly at her. "Thank you." 

Heather gazed at her in the semi-darkness. "You're welcome," she whispered. 

Any other conversation was interrupted as Eric and Bill opened the back door and slid Jake in carefully. 

Gail took him in her arms. "Oh Jake..." 

"We gotta move," Eric said to Bill, sliding into the seat beside his brother as Bill moved to get in the driver's seat. 

"On it," he said, reversing out of the farm and peeling onto the road. 

Heather shut her eyes tightly as Bill floored it, speeding away from the scene of the crime. 

Gail stroked her son's hair gently as they made their way to the cabin. She took in the dark, sunken circles under his eyes, his dried, cracked lips and his bruised face. "What did they do to you?" 

Eric looked at Jake with worry in his eyes. 

Then Heather turned her head to look at Bill. "Tell me phase two is already finished." 

Bill nodded. "Completed." 

She let out a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding and leaned back in the seat, shutting her eyes. 

"He's so warm," Gail murmured, brushing his forehead. 

"There's medicine at the cabin," Eric said quietly. 

"Kenchy up there?" 

"He's on his way," he confirmed. 

"Good." 

***

Heather sat at Jake's bedside, her worried gaze never leaving his unconscious form. Not even when the door to the cabin opened. 

Soft footsteps approached her slowly, the mattress dipping as someone sat down beside her. 

She slowly lifted her gaze to see Emily. Offering her friend a wan smile, she hugged her gently. "You're okay?" 

She nodded. "How about you? Did I hit you too hard?" 

A short chuckle escaped Heather. "No. I'm fine." 

She pulled away, expression worried. "You sure?" 

Nodding and pulling away as well, Heather motioned to her cheek. "Not even a bruise." 

Her gaze slowly moved to Jake. "How is he?" 

"No change," she murmured. "Kenchy gave him some drugs. Said he'd probably sleep for an undisclosed amount of time. It's what he needs most, apparently." 

"What do you mean, apparently?" 

"Well, they didn't feed him. He hasn't eaten anything in four days, and he barely had any water." Heather swallowed hard. "Kenchy had him on an IV drip for a few hours to re-hydrate him. Said to let him sleep until he woke up on his own." 

Emily put a hand over her mouth. "That's horrible." 

"I know." 

She shook her head. "I can't believe Beck did that." 

Heather fell silent, gazing down at Jake for a long moment, then slowly rising to her feet. 

"Where are you going?" 

Drawing in a breath, she turned to face her friend, her eyes sad. "To get ready." 

Emily raised her eyebrow. "For what?" 

"Bill's bringing me a car." Her voice was quiet. 

"I don't understand...are you leaving?" 

"I don't really have any other options." She offered her a faint smile. "Beck's smart. He probably already knows I double-crossed him." 

Her heart sank. "You can hide out here." 

She looked at the floor. "If it was just Beck, that might be a viable option." 

"All the Rangers are in the same boat, you know." 

"Constantino has a bounty on my head, Em," Heather said quietly. 

"You know you're not the only one he has a bounty on," her gaze flickered back to Jake. 

She was quiet for a moment. "My job here's done." 

"You can't just leave." 

Heather bit her lip, seeing the distress creeping into her friend's features. "You are the best friend I've ever had. You know that, right?" 

She nodded a little, tucking her hair behind her ear. 

"It's gonna be okay," she said quietly, not sure if she was trying to convince Emily or herself. 

"You know you mean something to everyone in this town," she gazed at her intently. 

She thought of Stanley then, and tears prickled at her eyes. He'd been her first friend in Jericho, before she and Emily had met. She'd tutored Bonnie in chemistry and physics for two years, every Wednesday night for an hour, and then she'd have dinner with them at the farm. She wished she had time to tell Stanley how sorry she was. That she would miss him. "I'll miss you," she whispered. 

Tears came to Emily's eyes as well. "Where are you going?" 

Heather drew in a breath and gave her a shaky smile. "Cheyenne. Maybe I can do some good there." 

She stood slowly, hugging her once more. "Be careful, okay?" 

She hugged Emily back tightly, shutting her eyes. "I will. You, too. Take care of yourself." 

"You do the same. Stay in touch, okay? You know Jake's gonna worry." 

"Somehow...I think he'll be okay." Her voice was quiet and she pulled away to gaze at Emily. 

She shook her head. "He'll worry. He worried when you were in New Bern too." 

Heather held her gaze for a moment, then glanced over at where Jake lay asleep, still and silent. "I'll be all right. I don't know when I'll be able to call." Or if she even would, but she didn't say so. She knew Emily knew that, too. "But you guys take care of each other. And take care of Stanley." Her voice was strained and she had to look away to keep a sob from escaping. 

Emily wiped at her eyes. "We will. And you...just...be careful. Don't do anything...don't get yourself hurt." 

She nodded and looked up as the door opened and Bill stepped inside. Her heart clenched as she met his eyes. 

"I have your car," he said quietly. 

"Thanks," she said softly. 

Emily touched her shoulder and nodded to Jake. "Just...tell him goodbye?" 

"He's sleeping," she whispered. 

"Please?" 

She drew in a breath and shut her eyes. "Okay." 

Stepping back, she went over to the door and took Bill with her, giving Heather some time alone with Jake. 

Heather slowly turned to look down at him, biting down hard on her lip before hesitantly moving to his side again. "It's probably good you're unconscious. I don't know if I could do this if you weren't," she murmured. "I'm uh...I'm going to Cheyenne, Jake. I'm sorry I didn't...that I didn't come back when I said I would. And I'm sorry that I didn't really see much of you since I got back." 

She swallowed hard. "Truthfully I've been avoiding you." She paused. "I've known for awhile that...I love you. It's just...so much has happened. And it wouldn't have worked. Emily's my best friend and I want her to be happy. I want you to be happy." Heather gazed down at his face, peaceful in slumber. "But I will miss you." 

She leaned down and kissed his cheek lightly. "Take care of Emily. And Stanley. And...Jake, take care of yourself for once. You don't always have to be the town hero, you know. What's gonna happen to this town if something happens to you?" 

Jake shifted in the bed, eyes fluttering. "Stay..." 

She started, surprised at hearing his voice. "Shhh, sleep," she whispered. 

He sighed, turning his head, falling back to sleep once more. 

Heather gently pulled the blanket up over him, tucking him in before pressing a kiss to his forehead and rising to her feet. "Bye, Jake." 

A barely audible "bye" passed over Jake's lips, sounding more like a breath than a word. 

Blinking back her tears, Heather straightened her shoulders and headed for the door, taking one last look over her shoulder at the man she'd grown to love so deeply. This was it. She was never going to see him again. She drank in his image, hoping to emblazon it into her mind when things got too bad to deal on her own. Then she slowly turned and headed for the car. 

Before she reached the car, Emily ran up behind her and hugged her tightly. "I'll miss you so much." 

She buried her face against Emily's shoulder, her body trembling a little. "Me too. I love you." 

"Love you too, girly," her voice wavered, tears flowing freely down her face. 

"It's gonna be okay," Heather whispered, pulling back and wiping away the tears from her own face. 

"I hope so," Emily wrapped her arms around herself. 

"Bye, Heather." 

Drawing in a deep, shuddering breath, Heather turned and climbed into the driver's seat of the car Bill had gotten for her. She started the engine and bit her lip, pausing to gaze out the window for a moment. She lifted her hand in a wave. 

Then she drove away. 

* * * 

Consciousness came crashing back to Jake the next day, making him wake in a jerk. Confused, he looked around at his settings. He wasn't in the room Beck had placed him in. He slowly remembered that he'd been saved from that place. Glancing beside him, he saw Emily. "How long have I been out?" 

"Not long enough," she said softly, her eyes filled with worry. 

He struggled to sit up. "How long?" 

Emily gently placed an arm around his shoulders to help him. "About twelve hours." 

He rubbed a hand over his face. "Was Heather here?" 

A flicker of emotion passed over her features and she looked down. "Yeah." 

"Where'd she go?" 

"Jake..." Before Emily had a chance to say anything else, the door burst open and Hawkins appeared, looking exhausted and sweating. 

Jake glanced over at him. "Hawkins?" 

"We have a problem." His voice was grim. 

He raised an eyebrow. "What _kind_ of problem?" 

Hawkins looked at him intently. "It's gone." 

Still being half asleep, his brain didn't process what exactly 'it' was. "What?" 

His gaze shifted to Emily. 

She gazed back at him, folding her arms across her chest and remaining rooted to the spot. 

Hawkins clenched his jaw and looked back at Jake. "The bomb." 

He blinked. "The bomb is gone.' 

"Stolen. By the army." He stared hard at Jake. 

"Wait, what bomb?" Emily asked, looking between them, her eyebrows furrowing. 

"Dammit," he whispered. "How?" 

Hawkins filled him in on how his anonymous contact had double-crossed him. "It's on its way to Cheyenne as we speak. Problem is, Beck and the army now think I'm a terrorist. So I can't do this alone." 

Emily stared at him, her face the picture of shock as she tried to absorb the knowledge and put the pieces together. 

"Okay...um..." he stood slowly, both hands running through his hair. "We need to...talk to the other Rangers...and ah..." 

"Jake. There isn't time. This isn't about losing evidence anymore." Something in Hawkins' tone made her stomach tighten. 

"What are you talking about?" 

"John Smith. He's gonna detonate the bomb when it reaches its destination. He's gonna wipe out Cheyenne, the government, and every person in the city." 

"Son of a bitch." A wave of dizziness washed over him and he sat down heavily on the bed, a knot forming in his stomach. 

Emily's face drained of all color, and she raised a hand to her mouth. "Oh, God." 

"What do we need to do?" Jake looked up at Hawkins. 

"We need to stop him from getting his hands on it, if it's not already too late." 

"Heather," she choked out. 

Jake's gaze snapped to Emily. "What about her? Emily, _where_ is she?" 

Tears stung her eyes as she looked back at him, horrified. "She left last night. She was afraid of what Beck would do if he caught her." She swallowed hard, breath catching in her throat. "Jake, she was going to Cheyenne." 

"No," he whispered, shaking his head. 

"We have to find her." 

"We have to find her." He stood again. "And stop the bomb." 

Hawkins looked from Emily to Jake, then nodded slowly. "And we don't have time to waste." 

"Then we need to move. Now."


End file.
